Stormwater Utility Fee

Overview

On April 25, 1995, the City of Portsmouth adopted a new Stormwater Management Utility (SMU) Ordinance, which specified a rate structure and billing mechanism. The Director of Public Utilities/Public Works administers the SMU. 

The new rate structure is the same for all properties in the City. The rate is based on impervious area as a measure of each property's contribution to stormwater runoff. Impervious area is measured in Equivalent Residential Units (ERUs). The average impervious area for residential properties in the City of Portsmouth is represented by one ERU, which is calculated as 1,877 square feet (ft2). Note that impervious surfaces are those that prevent water from soaking into the soil such as rooftops, concrete or asphalt parking lots, sidewalks, driveways, etc.

Current Fee Structure, Effective July 1, 2010 - Present

$7.00 per month (or $21.00 per quarter) per ERU.

RESIDENTIAL properties are billed for only 1 ERU = $7.00 per month, or $21.00 per quarter, or $84.00 per year.

NON-RESIDENTIAL properties are billed for their actual amount of impervious cover, converted to ERU's.

Example: The bill for a non-residential property with 10,000 ft² of impervious cover would be calculated thus:

        10,000 ft² divided by 1,877 ft² per ERU = 5.3 ERUs
        5.3 ERUs x $7.00/ERU = $31.30 per month, $123.90 per quarter, or $495.60 per year.

Stormwater Utility Fee - Rate History

July 1, 1992 - June 30, 1995
 Flat rates:
  Residential - $3.50 per month
  Non-Residential - $7.00 per month

July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1996
  Residential or Non-Residential - $3.50/ERU per month or $10.50/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 1996 - June 30, 1999
  Residential or Non-Residential - $2.80/ERU per month or $8.40/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU) 

July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2002
  Residential or Non-Residential - $3.30/ERU per month or $9.90/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2004
  Residential or Non-Residential - $3.50/ERU per month or $10.50/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2004 - June 30, 2005
  Residential or Non-Residential - $4.00/ERU per month or $12.00/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006
  Residential or Non-Residential - $4.50/ERU per month or $13.50/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007
  Residential or Non-Residential - $5.00/ERU per month or $15.00/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2008
  Residential or Non-Residential - $5.50/ERU per month or $16.50/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009
  Residential or Non-Residential - $6.00/ERU per month or $18.00/ERU per quarter
  (Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010
Residential or Non-Residential - $6.50/ERU per month or $19.50/ERU per quarter
(Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

July 1, 2010 - Present
Residential or Non-Residential - $7.00/ERU per month or $11.00/ERU per quarter
(Note: All Residential property billed for only 1 ERU)

Stormwater Utility Fee - What it PAYS for. . .

• Ditch and Pipe Maintenance in City Right-of-Way
  

• Construction of Flood Control and Water Quality Structures
  

• Water Quality Monitoring and Testing
  

• Lake and Pond Management
  

• Illicit Discharge Investigation
  

• Enforcement of City Code and Program Standards
  

• Public Education
  

• Federally Mandated Reporting Requirements